Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony believed the Houston Rockets could make the Western Conference Finals, but raised doubts about their future in it if they face the Denver Nuggets in the first round. In the face-off between the two teams, the Nuggets earned a gritty win over a super-talented Rockets team led by NBA veteran and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant.
Carmelo Anthony Weighs In on the Rockets’ Western Conference Finals Fate
The Nuggets were on a skid when they bounced back to post a phenomenal 129-93 win against the Rockets on March 11, 2026.
The win was a milestone for All-Star point guard Jamal Murray, who was coming off an ankle injury but still managed to shine with 30 points in just over half an hour, shooting 3-for-4 from 3-point range and 11-for-21 from the field. Center Nikola Jokic, one of the top prospects for the MVP award this season, was big on efficiency as well.
Having Durant on the Rockets didn’t deter the Nuggets from performing at their best that day. In the games that followed, the Nuggets dropped only one game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, the Rockets have been struggling to find their footing for quite some time now, especially due to the lack of a true point guard in the wake of Fred VanVleet’s injury-marred absence.
After their tough loss to the Lakers, Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony sat with his fellow luminaries and confidently said that Durant’s team has the potential to fight it out in the Western Conference Finals as the fourth in the standings.
“They can. Houston. Yes. Yeah, because we got a matchup now. It’s about matchups. Who we matching up with?” he said.
When the Nuggets’ name came up, Anthony broke into laughter with his fellow analysts and openly endorsed the Rockets as a Western Conference Finals contender but doubted their chances if the Nuggets were to face them in the first round.
